Home Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

Being safe in your home should be your largest priority. But are you missing one or two key safety components? Take this home safety checklist for Fort Wayne and find out where your home can use an update.

We give you some whole-house safety ideas, and then we whittle it down to specific room ideas. Then, phone (260) 203-1992 or send in the form below for more information.

General Home Safety Checklist for Fort Wayne

While you will want to take a room-by-room process for home safety, there are some items that are good for each part of your house. These devices can sync with one another through a smart hub, and oftentimes react to other components. You might also control every one of your home safety components using a mobile security app, like ADT Control:

Monitored Home Security System: Each one of your entryways should use a sensor that alerts you to forced entry. After your alarm trips, your monitoring center answers the alert and quickly contacts the police or fire department.

Smart Bulbs For Each Room: Sure, you can set your smart lights so your house is more efficient. But they can also help you remain safe throughout an emergency. Have your smart bulbs come on when a security alarm triggers to scare off burglars or brighten the way out to a safe place.

Smart Thermostat: Like your smart lights, a smart thermostat in Fort Wayne can save you 10%-15% in gas and electric costs. It also can flip on your exhaust fan if you have a fire.

Monitored Fire Detectors: At the very least, you should have a fire alarm on every floor. You can increase your fire game by utilizing a monitored fire detector that senses both smoke and heat, and notifies your 24/7 monitoring experts when it thinks that there’s a fire.

Smart Door Locks: Every door that uses a keyed lock can be made safer with a smart door lock. Now you may program numbered codes to each family member and receive texts to your phone when your locks are used. Your smart lock can even automatically turn off, allowing you to quickly leave when you have a fire or dangerous situation.

Family Room Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

You’ll spend a lot of time in the living room, so it’s the most reasonable room to optimize your home safety. Highly sought after items, like a TV or video game console, typically are located in your family room, making it a popular space for thieves. Start with installing a motion detector or security camera in there, then take a look at the following suggestions:

Motion Sensors: By hanging motion detectors, you’ll hear a loud siren if they sense suspicious movement in your living room. You’ll want motion sensors that filter out pet movements or you’ll see an alert each time your pet comes in for a bite of food.
Security Camera: An indoor security camera offers a constant watch on your family room. View real-time streams of everything so you can find out what’s going on from the mobile app. Or chat with your kids in the family room using the two-way talk feature.
Surge Protector/Cord Maintenance: Safeguard expensive electronics and quit overloading your electric system with a surge protector. For added comfort, install a smart plug with surge protection included.
Entertainment Center Secured To The Wall: If you have curious kids, you’ll need to attach your heavy furniture and entertainment center to a wall. This is especially important if your family room has carpet that could make heavy objects extra wobbly.
Special Locks For Sliding Doors: If your living room has a sliding door that slides out to a backyard, deck, or outside porch, you already get that the lock is usually worthless. Use a special lock, like a bottom bar or locks that secures the door to the top and bottom of the frame.

Kitchen Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

Your kitchen has room for items that should provide safety and security to your home. Many of these items are also a snap to add and can be found in the Target or Walmart:

Fire Extinguisher: Fire can come from from an overfilled frying pan or a towel that’s too close to a burner. Always have a fire extinguisher in close reach for any stove or oven emergencies.
GFCI Box On Every Outlet: A circuit interrupter outlet should be standard on outlets where they’re by water to lessen the chance of electrocution. That includes the plug outlets by your sink and kitchen counter. Since the late ‘80s, it’s been standard to have one circuit interrupter outlet per circuit. But if you don’t want all your outlets to go dead when one outlet surges, you’re going to want to use a separate GFCI for every outlet.

Monitored CO Detector: A carbon monoxide detector is needed in kitchens that employ natural gas for the stove and oven. If your gas burners leak, the carbon monoxide detector will cause a loud sound and contact your monitoring expert.
Disinfectant Wipes Or Spray: The biggest safety issue in the kitchen is the viruses, bacteria, and contamination that comes with raw meat and dairy. Always have antiviral wipes or an antibacterial spray to scrub off your counters before and after making a meal.
Freezer and Refrigerator Alarm: The milk, meat, and perishables in your fridge have to remain at a constant temperature to be ready to use. If you accidently leave the fridge or freezer door open, then an alarm beep will tell you to close the door. Some fridges already have an alarm, others do not, and you’ll have to pick up a fridge alarm from the hardware store.

Bathroom Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

Just because you may not have a bunch of square footage in your bathroom, you will still have safety issues. From water problems to anti-surge outlets, here are some safety tips for your bathroom:

Flood Sensors: A leaking toilet or bathtub can cause a whole lot of destruction. Discover leaks early with a flood detector and save the time and money from renovations.
Non-slip Shower Mats: A slip and fall in the bathroom can be painful, causing pulled muscles, sore joints, or trips to the hospital. Or steer clear from these hazards with a non-slip bathroom mat for while you towel off.

No-slip Bathtub Stickies: Likewise, a tub basin can be a slick place to move in. Make sure every tub has some non-slip strips so your feet have a bumpy patch to grip.

Medicine Door Latch: If you have young toddlers or a family member with memory lapses, you have to take additional care regarding prescribed medicine. Safeguard your prescriptions by getting a medicine cabinet with a latch that locks.

Circuit Interrupter Outlet: Similarly to the kitchen, you should also put in a safer circuit interrupter outlet on every bathroom receptacle. These will shut off the current if water enters the outlet or there’s a sudden spike from a curling iron or hair dryer.

Children’s Bedroom Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

Your kid’s bedroom should counterbalance safety with accessibility. If their window coverings or other items are safe but difficult to operate, then your child may get around the device with unsafe activities -- like climb a chest of drawers -- to use them. Try these simple, yet safe, ideas:

Cord-Free Window Coverings: Safety experts have designated corded window treatments a secret hazard for both children and pets. Put in motorized blinds or shades that you can easily manage through a remote control. Or even better, connect your motorized coverings to your security system so they open automatically when it’s time to get up, and lower at bedtime for added darkness.

Tableside Security Camera: A camera sitting on your toddler’s dresser can double as a baby monitor that you can see with a smartphone. And if they need you, they can hit the 2-way talk button on the camera.

Plug Covers: While every outlet should have protective covers on them for your young children, this is especially urgent in a child’s bedroom. It’s the one room in your home where your toddler will most likely be alone without constant parental supervision.

Window Fire Ladder: If you have bedrooms on above the first floor, then you will want to put in a window escape ladder. These can help a child escape even if the stairway or ground floor are engulfed in smoke and fire. Make sure to rehearse how to employ them one or two times a year.

Toy Box Or Low Shelves: It’s strange to look at a toy box as a safety component, but you’ll get it if you’ve ever walked on an action figure in your socked feet. A uncluttered floor means a quick retreat during a fire or break-in.

Main Bedroom Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

Your master bedroom should be your calm space, so let your safety items give you peace of mind if you experience an emergency event. After all, being wrenched awake by a loud buzzer can be confusing.

Home Security Touchscreen: Having a smart hub on your dresser helps you know what’s going on without jumping out of bed. You could alternatively turn on your ADT mobile app. However, the HD touchscreen can be better to use when you’re coming out of sleep and disoriented.

Device Charging Area: We rely on our smartphones for so much now alarm clocks, web browsers, time wasters, and maybe even phones. But, an uncharged device in the middle of the night cuts us off from reaching help if something goes wrong. So, a charging station or cord becomes an important part of your nightstand.

Smart Lights Or Nightlights: A tiny light helps ground you when you’re bolted awake from an alarm or unexpected sounds. If you won’t drift off to sleep with a nightlight, put in smart bulbs in your bedroom and hall. Then you can have light simply with a push of a button or vocal command.
Fireproof Lockbox: Stash your essential documents like insurance cards, stock certificates, or a bankbook in a fireproof lockbox. This can be a large one that sits in your closet or a small handheld lockbox that you can grab on your way out during an emergency event.

Heat Sensor: The problem with most bedrooms is that they can be too stuffy or be frigid since they sit far from the thermostat. A heat sensor will communicate to your smart thermostat so you can have a nice, peaceful sleep at a wonderful temperature.

Garage/Basement Safety Checklist For Fort Wayne

Most safety issues in the garage or basement are with your water heater or HVAC system. Finding hazards early can prevent bigger problems in the future. So, as you take a look around your storage areas, check over these crucial items:

Flood Sensor Or Sump Pump Alarm: Putting a flood sensor in back of your water heater or sump pump can save you from discovering a pond when you step into your basement or garage. It’s sure better than sorting through a bunch of soggy storage boxes.

Carbon Monoxide Detector: It’s smart to hang a CO detector in an area where a gas leak can happen. If you use gas heat, try to install a detector in the same place as your unit.
Remote Water Shutoff Valve: If your flood sensor detects a plumbing leak or a broken pipe, then you will have to cut off the main water pipe immediately. With a remote shutoff valve, you can block water flow from anywhere in the world. That’s perfect when you’re visiting relatives and get an emergency leak notification on your mobile device.
Garage Door Sensor: Leaving the garage door up causes all types of problems. You can waste heat through that large opening, and critters or intruders can just walk in. A remote sensor will alert you to a neglected garage door and lets you lower it remotely.
Temperature Sensor: A temperature alarm in your basement or garage is a definite if you fret about your pipes freezing. The temperature in these areas can be surprisingly different than the rest of the home, so you may need to keep a closer eye on them with your mobile app.

Outside Safety Checklist for Fort Wayne

Your foliage, driveway, and front porch are just as important to make safe as the rest of your house. Try the items on this checklist to defend your perimeter:

Doorbell Camera: See who’s arrived at the front door before you open it and talk to visitors. View deliveries and look at video clips if they vanish off the step.

Outdoor Security Camera: You can install outdoor cameras to alert you to late night movement in your back yard. These devices come in handy in places where you might not have a view -- like around a cellar or by the driveway.

Window Height Bushes: Tall foliage can create some serenity, but they also obscure your view of the outside. Don’t offer potential thieves a dark shadow to hide. Plus, tall bushes, shrubs or trees against your house can obstruct gutters and summon pests.
ADT Signs And Decals: One of the biggest discouragements for a thief is alerting aspiring rogues that you use a monitored security system. An ADT yard stick by the stoop and a window decal will alert people that they might want to shove off to an unprotected score.

Motion Controlled Porch Lights: Light is the best deterrent to those who sneak around in the unlit places. Motion-activated flood lights on your porch, garage, or deck can frighten lurkers away. They also help you get inside when you arrive to the house late after work.

Use Secure24 Alarm Systems To Help You Finish Your Home Safety Checklist for Fort Wayne

While Secure24 Alarm Systems can’t install non-security devices on your Fort Wayne home safety checklist, we can offer a powerful home security. With easy-to-use devices and ADT monitoring, we can install the ideal system for your house’s needs. Just call (260) 203-1992 and talk to a professional or complete the form below. Or personalize your own ADT system with our Security System Designer.